RESUMEN
Strong theoretical reasons exist for using fractal geometry in measurements of natural objects, including most objects studied in pathology. Indeed, fractal dimension provides a more precise and theoretically more appropriate approximation of their structure properties and especially their shape complexity. The aim of our study was to evaluate the nuclear fractal dimension (FD) in tissue specimens from patients with oral cavity carcinomas in order to assess its potential value as prognostic factor. Relationships between FD and other factors including clinicopathologic characteristics were also investigated. Histological sections from 48 oral squamous cell carcinomas as well as from 17 non-malignant mucosa specimens were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin for pathological examination and with Feulgen for nuclear complexity evaluation. The sections were evaluated by image analysis using fractal analysis software to quantify nuclear FD by the box-counting method. Carcinomas presented higher mean values of FD compared to normal mucosa. Well differentiated neoplasms had lower FD values than poorly differentiated ones. FD was significantly correlated with the nuclear size. Patients with FD lower than the median value of the sample had statistically significant higher survival rates. Within the sample of patients studied, FD was proved to be an independent prognostic factor of survival in oral cancer patients. In addition this study provides evidence that there are several statistically significant correlations between FD and other morphometric characteristics or clinicopathologic factors in oral squamous cell carcinomas.
Asunto(s)
Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/ultraestructura , Fractales , Neoplasias de la Boca/ultraestructura , Anciano , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Diferenciación Celular , Núcleo Celular , Femenino , Humanos , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador/métodos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neoplasias de la Boca/patología , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Pronóstico , Estudios Retrospectivos , Análisis de SupervivenciaRESUMEN
A 45-yr-old woman was admitted to our hospital for surgical treatment of obstructive jaundice. She was treated by a standard pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure). The biopsy of the specimen disclosed an adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. Six months before the appearance of the obstructive jaundice, she noted a sudden onset of many seborrheic keratoses on the upper part of her trunk and upper extremities. This, to our knowledge, is the first case of Leser-Trelat sign associated with adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater.